Nicole stayed at the colony complex. She oversaw the troops return. She took care of the arrangements. She also took care of the clean up and residual damage repair from the bombing of Berlyn. She slept at the complex.
Nickel ordered her to go home but Nicole felt responsible. She was literally working herself into exhaustion as she went through the the horrors of clean up. She would be found sleeping on the consoles as she and Colonel Teero coordinated the Industrial Replicators and large vessels in repair.
Nicole went outside and was sitting on the stoop watching shuttle after shuttle leave the capital carrying materials for the rebuild. She brought the Ekosians here. It was her gullibility that had lead to the fourth Cardassian uprising. Nicole was mortified. She was in pain. She worked through it. It is what got her to where she is today.
No one questioned her authority as governor. In fact, many Bajorans actually came to thank her for rescuing them from the Cardassians during the Fire at Will crisis.
Nicole was just sitting there when Orchid came walking up. She looked at Nicole, "Vincent said you are working yourself to death. You might need a doctor."
"I am fine, Orchid.", Nicole responded, "I have to fix this."
"Not in five minutes and not all by yourself.", Orchid scolded.
"I did this, Orchid. I brought the Cardassians and Ekosians here.", Nicole started to tear up.
"Cardassians can be very enticing.", Orchid made a veiled reference to her romance with Thandie Varno.
Nicole scoffed making a little tiff sound. Orchid was perturbed, "Wait!"
"Vincent never asked me to come. I had to see you. I had to know for myself if you were okay.", Orchid interrupted.
"And how do I feel?", Nicole responded.
"I don't know. Let me touch you to see.", Orchid grabbed Nicole's hand.
Nicole felt a warmth in her heart that she had not felt in too long. Somehow Orchid, whether it was Orchid Coren herself or the Trill could always bring a warmth to her heart. Nicole pulled away.
Orchid looked at Nicole, "Thandie went to be with her father. He is devastated by the recent uprising. She needs to be with him now. She cannot be in a relationship."
Nicole looked at Orchid, "I am a screw up. Decisions I made put so many in jeopardy."
"You have a warm heart. You think the best in all people. It is what makes you special. It is what makes the Lasiter Lau inside me want to father you, to care for you like Vincent and Tim do. It makes the Orchid Coren inside me want to make love to you forever.", Orchid responded.
"What?", Nicole looked at Orchid.
"You heard me, Nikki.", Orchid winked.
Nicole looked back, "You left me for Thandie."
"Nicole, shut up, get into the back room and take your damn clothes off!", Orchid ordered.
"Hey, I have ordered over 5000 Star Fleet officers around over the past week cleaning up this mess. No one orders me.", Nicole giggled.
"I don't care about 5000 officers, I only care about you.", Orchid forcefully kissed Nicole.
Nicole had been so hurt over the recent activities. She thought she had lost everything and suddenly it all came rushing back. Things could work out yet.
Posted by:
Nicole Branson
Governor
Ephyra Colony
King's Fleet
